jj (07/16/82)
I have been following Digital Audio as a matter of professional
interest for about 5 years. The only thing that I can say for the
Sony player <which I understand is the Phillips system, although I have no
positive identification> is
IT'S BLOODY WELL ABOUT TIME.
<Flame on>
>From my expererience, which is based totally on what I have heard at
various conventions, the major thing that has been delaying the advent of
the audio disk is the fact that there are two (well, really three) different
systems on the market. These different systems are of varying merit, what I
can't say without getting sued, and the conflict, with incompatible software
being generated, is what holds up the commitment on the part of most of
the big software(read recording) companies. Without software, any
company that markets hardware will lose its shirt, without hardware,
no software company will commit themselves.
<Flame off>
As is evident, I am disgusted. Although I do not feel free or
safe to state my opinion, one of the systems is light years above the
rest, and deserves to win. Fortunately, this particular idea is backed
by a LARGE multinational consortium of hardware and software manufacturers,
including US, European, and Japanese companies.
As far as speakers and amplifiers, NOT ONE amplifier or speaker
on the market is good enough to reproduce the entire dynamic range unless
you have a background SPL of about 30dB. Even then, there are damn few.
The mitigating circumstance is, of course, that the microphones and mike
preamps are only good for 80-90 dB themselves, and most concert halls have
an ambient to maximum orchestral output ratio of about 70dB. In addition,
most speakers have distortion products that are a maximum of 45dB down in the
bass and high frequency regions.
Having listened to various digital reproduction systems, my own
opinion, despite various disputed tests conducted by some folks, is
that the cleanliness, lack of scrape/flutter, and lack of distortion, is
worth far more than the dificulties of having to buy what is essentially a
new turntable that has a high level output.
I suggest that interested people bear in mind that a lot
of the opinions that are currently distributed about digital recording
<done right, please, there are many things that you can do wrong, as is
noted in another current article> are generated by people
who do NOT understand the process, and have a vested interest in
slowing or stopping the switch to digital. There is no excuse whatsoever
to continue to make analog recordings for any other reason than
to supply the GIGANTIC grandfathered market out there.
UP DIGITAL!
Jim Johnston, Bell Labs/MH, rabbit!jj
P.S. I traditionally don't engage in long discussions, so bear that in
mind. If you want to pick nits, use Phisohex.